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Home  » News » VHP vows to wipe out secularism

VHP vows to wipe out secularism

Source: PTI
October 18, 2003 22:45 IST
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The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday vowed to oust "secular forces" from power and make India a "Hindu" nation.

VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for foiling the outfit's plan to hold a sankalp sabha (assembly for taking pledge) in Ayodhya on Friday.

Singhal also asked Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to mend his "secular" ways.

He described secularism as the "biggest enemy" of the nation and said, "Atalji, if you don't come to us, we will abandon you."

The leaders were addressing the VHP activists who were arrested on their arrival in Ayodhya to take part in the assembly. 

Togadia, who was earlier in the day detained in Lucknow, was allowed to go to Ayodhya on an undertaking from the VHP that he would not vitiate the atmosphere there.

Singhal asked the youth to be ready to make "any sacrifice" to "wipe out" secularism and make the Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini strong over a period of three years.

"To make the country a Hindu Rashtra is our ultimate objective," he said.

Singhal said the VHP would identify the Rambhakts who were injured in Friday's police "action" and those who had to go without food for days together and had to walk for several kilometres to reach Ayodhya.

He said there were "two types of laws in the country, one for the Hindus and another for the Muslims".

Togadia said if the Muslims did not withdraw the cases pertaining to Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi, the Hindus would "forcibly take away as many as 30,000 mosques, which were built after demolishing temples during the medieval period".

He said that the VHP was only asking for a "home" for Lord Ram.

He demanded the withdrawal of Haj subsidy and said Hindus never received anything for visiting their shrines.

"We shall await the day when the prime minister will say while taking oath of office that he is assuming office as a saviour of Hindus," he said.

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